How to Make a Hotel Bed, Fluffy sheets, oodles of pillows -- if we could sleep in hotel beds all the time, we totally would. So we did a little digging, and it turns out t...IN FEBRUARY, I went to Charleston, S.C., to explore its happening food scene and frozen-in-amber 19th-century architecture, but I couldn’t tell you much about either: I barely got out of bed. The billowy mattress, silky-smooth sheets, puffy down comforter and mountain of pillows at the Vendue, an inn in the city’s historic district, were positively narcotic. My husband had to pry me out. The bed even made up for the hotel’s spotty service. On the first day of our two-night vacation, the housekeeper didn’t get to our... Alligator Takes a Stroll With a Fish in Its Mouth Drowning in Charging Cables? An Architect's Personal Retreat on Puget SoundVulgar Book Titles Rack Up Sales 'She Shed:' The Answer to the Man CaveIt doesn't matter if you stay in a cheap motel in rural Tennessee or an uber-luxe hotel overlooking Central Park -- if the mattress isn't comfortable, it can ruin your entire vacation.
And as you know, you can't return a bad vacation. sleep on the job. You've read that correctly; we test out hotel mattresses around the globe so we can give you the low-down on which mattresses will help you catch some serious zzz's -- which is particularly important this weekend for those running the NYC Marathon...and those just excited for an extra hour in bed thanks to Daylight Saving Time.Best Hotel Beds – And Where You Can Buy Them... and now Archer Hotel New York guests can "sleep on it" and let us know what they think in the morning.Upscale Hotel Bedding Standards The luxury hotel market in New York City is competitive and bedding remains paramount in the contest. The Archer Hotel New York design team worked obsessively on quality testing, touch testing, and assembling a visually appealing suite of bedding and bath goods. The results are, well, what is the word for that feeling you get when you shower and then lay down after a long day and float off to sleep in a lush mesh of softness, firmness and weightiness?
“Guests of four star (plus) hotels are savvy and stylish. They expect bedding as high quality as or higher than what they own at home. They know good quality and brand names, and they know what good bedding should be made of.” –Emily Hochburg, bedding and hotel soft goods specialist Throw blankets started as an idea during the hotel design phase and became a marker for each of the four stylized room designs at Archer Hotel New York. Designer Glen Cobin worked with bedding specialist Emily Hochburg (above) to source lovely 90% merino wool throws from Bottega, an Italian designer. The (four) throws were custom designed and woven for the hotel. In addition to providing a light extra layer for reading or reclining, the throws bring visual interest and a unique feel to each room’s tableau. Look for multiple designs and colors including a purple geometric design, a black floral design, and a grey & gold traditional design. Who knew that bed sheet choice for hotels could take months?
New York hoteliers and experts like Kevin Floyd of Standard Textile surely know it. Archer Hotel New York’s team settled on 100% cotton, ring spun, combed, extra long staple yarn length, matched-yarn-strand-length sheets. Kevin defies any brand to stand up to the combined durability/comfort test which his 300 Thread Count sheets offer. The more he talked to Archetype, the more passion for his work and shone through… a continuing friend-of-Archer theme. “We compete with major Italian brands. My best clients to do their own wash testing, tear testing, and personal hand testing before they choose sheets. We are actual manufacturers of our own sheets, which makes us a rare company. I love what I do and I believe Standard Textile is the best at it.” Archer offers both over stuffed feather and down pillows (firm) and all-down pillows (soft) on every bed. It’s a luxe set of cushioning for the sleepiest heads of New York’s most discerning visitors. After dozens of Goldilocks-like conversations with multiple providers, the Phoenix Down 100% cotton covered All Season Down Comforter won Archer’s esteem.
It’s warm enough for winter travelers but not heavy enough to weigh anyone down. Archer is game provides old school poly options for those who prefer them, too. Bath Sheets in a hotel!? Although we know seasoned travelers have mastered the art of stretching hotel towels around themselves, we offer a reprieve to everyone who stays with us. Gorgeous Bath Sheets and Bath Towels from the Italian FRETTE “Lane” design make Archer Hotel New York guest bathrooms smart and soft. FRETTE is also the maker of the Bath Robes on offer at Archer Hotel New York. Think waffled, absorbent, long enough for an actual adult, and light enough for practical use. It’s time to talk bath mats. And if you are thinking that a hotel Bath Mat hardly merits discussion, you haven’t stepped on our over-the-top soft and high quality bath rugs byAbyss&Habidecor. Ssssso soft and absorbent. The Big (Bed) Idea Soft goods on the bed and in the bath at Archer Hotel New York, are worth wearing yourself out by traveling to The Garment District from anywhere in the world.
New tests yield 10 top choices for a good night’s sleep Editor's Note: This article also appeared in the March 2014 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.Choose from cars, safety, health, and more! Build & Buy Car Buying Service Save thousands off MSRP with upfront dealer pricing information and a transparent car buying experience. Get Ratings on the go and compare while you shopWhether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, getting good sleep is key to having enough energy to power through your days away from home. So book a hotel that has a room with a great bed waiting for you. These days, hotels know that quality slumber is important to travelers, so many of them have created luxury bedding for guests. These, below, are among the best and worth checking out!This chain was the first to create a signature bed in 1999, in partnership with the mattress manufacturer Simmons, and its quality has stood the test of time. It boasts a 13-inch pillow-top mattress that’s enveloped in 250-thread count sheets.
Two feather and down pillows and two hypo-allergenic pillows perch on top, along with a boudoir pillow, an overstuffed duvet, and a down blanket. If you fall in love with the beds, they are even available for purchase on the hotel’s ecommerce site.When you check in to this luxury hotel chain, you get to customize your bed. You can pick from three different mattress toppers—signature, the standard topper; plush, the extra soft option; or firm, the most supportive. What’s more, each version has a foam center that absorbs heat (to keep you cool as you sleep), as well as a coil system that helps minimize motion transfer when you’re snoozing with a partner.This chain, a sister to the Westin, has a hip, upscale reputation—and, like its sister hotels, some of the best beds on the road. (They’re nicknamed “The Do Not Disturb Mattresses.”) Rooms are furnished with the W Plush Top Mattress, a 13-inch thick luxury that encases over one thousand coils for ultimate comfort. For an added touch of luxe, many Ws add cashmere throws and downy pillows to the bed.
The W bed, as well as all of the bedding that’s found in its hotel rooms, can be purchased as well.The Hilton company partners with Serta to create a bed that gives you, as the chain calls it, “The Hilton Bed Goodnight.” The bed’s quilted, plush top may improve circulation and even reduce restlessness at night. Plus, it’s got plenty of coil support and reinforcement at the edges. If you’re taken with the Hilton Bed, you can bring one into your own bedroom by purchasing it on Hilton’s website.Called The Marriott Bed, this chain’s proprietary mattress is one-foot high from top to bottom (plus, there’s a nine-inch box spring underneath). Made of “high-density, open-cell poured polyurethane foam,” it helps minimize movement from your partner, so you can sleep the night through without disturbances. And, of course, you can bring it home with you by purchasing it on the company’s website.Many hotels in this chain boast select rooms with Sleep Number beds, which allow you to choose your own level of firmness.